Improvement in tanning apparatus



2 Sheets--Shet 2.., 3.3550. Tanning Apparatus.

WAZ 75 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY REED, OF ATLANTA, 4GEORG-IA.'

IMPROVEMENT lN TANNING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,438, dated January5, 1875; application filed t December 5, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY REED, of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton andState of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Tanning Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification:

This invention consists of the tan-vats contrived with removablepartitions and sliding and removable racks for supporting the skins;also, with an arrangement for circulating the liquor through the leachesand vats in an endless course, so that the skins maybe putin at the endof a series of vats, out of which the liquor isforced into the leachesagain and shifted along, from time to time, to the other end, into'which the liquor flows again after being renewed in the leaches, andfrom which the tannedbatches are lifted into the drying-house and theleaches are arranged in a series and introduced into the endless channelfor the liquor at one end with new material, and shifted along to andremoved with the spent material at the other end, so that the exhaustedliquor enters the oldest leach as it comes from the vats, and kpasses tothe newest in going back to the vats, and thus extracts the tannin andapplies it to the skins most eifectually. My invention also consists ofa softening and scour ing wheel contrived to produce the current ofliquor, and having outwardly-projecting floats to act on the water, andinwardly-projecting oats to scour and rub the hides placed in it, whilethe liquor is pumped up into it as it revolves.

Figure l is a sectional elevation through the scouring-wheel and theleaches, taken on line y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is a section through thetan-vats, taken on line v .x of Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is partly a sideelevation and partly a sectional elevation. Fig. 4 is a transversesection on line z z of Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is a plan view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A, B, and C represent a series of vats, separated by removablepartitions D, contrived with a passage, E, for the liquor to passthrough the series from G to B and A. F represents the racks on whichthe skins are hung in the liquor. They are arranged to slide along fromone vat to another when the partitions are removed. G and H representthe leaches, which are also separated by a removable partition, I,through which the liquor ows from G to H. From H there is a passage, J,through which the liquor passes into tan-vats C. K is a passage from vatA into wheel-pit I, from which the liquor is forced over the partition Linto leach Gr by the wheel M, which maintains a continuous endlesscurrent through the leaches and the vats. The wheel has blades Nprojecting outwardly from the rack O, which confines the hides in thewheel, and also projecting inwardly for scraping and scouring the hides,on which the liquor is forced by the pump X through the wheel. Theleaches are put in at H when filled with fresh material, and removed atG when the tan material is spent, being shifted from G to H as the workprogresses.

The hides are putin atA and shifted along to C during the tanningprocess, and removed at C when tanned, a new batch being put in at A asa batch is removed at C.` Thus it will be seen that the liquor passesfrom the old to the new material in the leaches, :and from the old tothe new stock in the tan-vats, so as to have the best results inextracting the strength ofthe tanning material, and it acts on the oldstock when strongest and the new stock when Weakest, which also givesthe best effects.

The apparatus is also applicable to the greenhouse, in softening thehides, plunging and circulating the limes, taking off the hair, workingthe vats, and cleansing the hides ready for the tan.

The invention is particularly adapted to warm climates, where tannicvegetation grows spontaneously, and can be raised near markets wherebark is not accessible.

This process of leaching is so effectual as to extract the strength fromany tanning substance.

Bark, when placed on end, as it may be in this method, will give up itsstrength with less bloom and gallic acid, which are injurious to theleather.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Pat entA 1. The combination, in a series of tan-vats, ofremovable partitions and racks for suspending the hides, substantiallyas specified.

2. The combination of a series 0f tan-vats, a

series of leaches, and a propelling-Wheel, ar- 4. The Wheel M, providedwith internal and ranged as described, the leaches and the vats externalprojecting blades, as arranged, adaptprovided With passages for anendless current ed to soften and scour hides or skins, and to of theliquor to be forced around through the keep the liquor in continuouscirculation,.sub leaches and Vats in succession, substantiallystantially as and for the purpose described.

as specified. HARVEY REED.

3. The combination of a series of removable Witnesses:

leaches and removable partitions, substantially SAMUEL HOPE,

as specified. J AMES P. KELLY.

